When your kid makes a piece of art, they’re also building confidence, processing feelings, and creating connections. That’s what we’re celebrating with the Outschool Visual Arts Showcase—and your kid could win up to $1,000 USD* in prize value, a one-year Outschool Membership and a billboard in Times Square!






“I enjoy drawing anime because it inspires my imagination. I like creating characters with strong expressions and unique designs. Anime shows like Naruto inspire me to practice drawing and improve my skills. When I draw, I feel creative and excited because I can bring my ideas to life through art.”

I came up with this piece on my own. I saw him in my head and I knew how I wanted Kai to look. I created him for an online role playing class. I drew him with one of his antlers broken because when I first introduced Kai he had run into a wall out of confusion. I call this piece “Liquid Prayers” because words cannot always relay how you feel, and sometimes you just got to let the tears fall and let people see that you feel. When I look at kai in this piece I feel like giving him a big hug.

Hello! My name is Ellie. I am so grateful to be in this competition. I love art, especially drawing anime and chibi. I'm less focused on winning and more on showing everyone what I can create!:)(although winning would be great;)) I've been drawing for about a year.
.webp)
I enjoy Lego's, reading, building science kits, gaming, nature, and spending time with my family and friends. I also like baseball, swimming, diving, and taekwondo. My art piece was inspired by my uncle. It is colorful with a splash of teeth added in to make the piece Awsome with a dinosaur twist.



I’m an autistic artist. I draw to better understand the world around me. This is a gouache painting I did during a recent frigid spell here where temps were hitting -40. It calmed me to think of the animals tucked safely away.

I love Wings of Fire and wanted to create an original character based on the books to use in my own story. Magnolia is a dragon who got her leg cut off in the war and has to juggle both school and running her kingdom. She also has a pet lemur, named Sage, and sisters she has to care for since her parents died. Magnolia is strong and fierce and perseveres through hard challenges and also asks for help when she needs it and I want to be like her (minus the losing limbs and parents bit :) ).

I learned about this mysterious plane on Youtube so I clicked on it to see what it was. I wanted to figure out why this plane crashed and I decided to make a drawing of it. What happened and the drawing made me feel sad because there were a lot of people in it. I chose purple, pink, and yellow so it felt like a dream as if it was still flying.

My name is Gayle, and since I love books and they really inspire me I decided to draw about one to enter it. Books make me feel happy, so I made art that shows a magic book with a unicorn, a dragon and a sun made out of delicious kiwi. Anything can happen in a book, that's why they inspire me!

Yes, I got pooped on by a bald eagle. It was an experience. And, I have this picture in my room to always remind me of it. It reminds me of how good, or bad, luck I got. I think it's bad, personally, but many others think it's good. I don't know, very weird story.
Me and my Mom are traveling around the world for a year and I love to sing. We got to see a lot of cool things and I thought it was amazing to see all the different animals. I took a busking class and learned how to write my own song about what it’s like to go on adventures. I drew the art and wrote the music too!

Hi, I'm Ezra. I drew this because my teacher (go check her out on Outschool- her name is Mary Eckes) prompted me of the upcoming 4th of July which is the 250th birthday of the US. I thought I would do something new so we brainstormed a plan. think you should vote?

I have always wanted to be an artist, and animals and designs like the one in my piece have been a major inspiration for me. When I began drawing this piece, it was not meant to be a “big thing”, but as my mind wandered and my hand took over, I found myself carefully layering colors and brushstrokes that I had not ever known I could create. It transcended simply sitting and thinking of what to create, and I know more awaits me in a future where I am inspired to create more extraordinary pieces.

I love finding the small details in people that set them apart from others. I especially love how people use their uniqueness and feelings to make a difference in the world. To make life and joy. I felt that "Eyes of the World" by the Grateful Dead portrayed that same spirit and that is what inspired my drawing.

Hi, I'm Matthew. I like gaming, art, music, collecting things, and metal detecting. I made this piece because I was going through an odd period where my dreams were extremely vivid and colorful, but at the end would become almost distant and would fade to white before ending, almost is if they were trying to tell me, "This isn't real" before fading away. This piece reminds me of those times and makes me feel oddly satisfied and wildly confused with this strange period of bizarre dreams.

I'm Kyla, an artist who loves creating characters and diving deep into their stories. The character featured here is one that I love very much, named Lieke. I wanted this drawing to evoke a feeling you have when you're on vacation, strolling the beach at sunset. It may feel melancholy; the setting sun bringing you ever closer to the end of fun times, but it's a beautiful sight that brings you joy nevertheless.


I am a lover of all things found in nature and feel truly inspired being in it. This artwork was inspired by the bison at my local national park, and how they often have large groups of birds following them. I would like to give a special thanks to Nikki Toews, for helping me become the artist I am today.
When I was younger I didn’t like any sports to play in my free time. Then I discovered my passion. Drawing. Soon I later learned that the pen and paper was my power. Every artwork I make makes me feel proud and want to continue my art journey. From what began as a stickman evolved into an artwork that made people happy. :)

There wasn’t really a clear inspiration for this piece, but I’ll try to give a bit of a walk-through. The character is inspired by WOF -Wings Of Fire, which is a dragon book series and my artist persona. I have always had a love for willow and wisteria trees, and love artworks that showcase things like rivers, oceans and waterfalls. The title is partly inspired by the book The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe. This piece makes me feel at peace with the whole… flowy and mystical feel! :3

Hi! I am Leon, I like to make busts of people out of polymer clay because, I like how they show all aspects of the person. I made a bust of Ludwig Van Beethoven. He first inspired me to learn about music, and then he inspired me to start music lessons! I want to be as good of a piano player as Beethoven. He is one of my favorite classical composers of all time!


The first thing you should know about me is that I love to write - and of course, draw! This illustration is the cover for a novel that I currently am writing. It is a love story about a girl and a prince who despite their circumstances, build their own happy ending. This book in particular is inspired by my favorite author, Jane Austen. This story holds special meaning for me because I have been working on it since I was seven years old.

I am a lover of Japan and anime and love art. The characters are cool and I love their faces they make and how happy they look. I love using markers to make my drawings look real and make my art pictures for decorating my room so it can be like my own cool anime place!

The first thing I notice when I look at something is its color. I’ve been doing art for about a year. I mostly draw people but also enjoy drawing realistic things from a reference. I taught myself how to use Procreate by watching other artists online. I always listen to music when I draw. While I was drawing this, I was listening to “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. The candle makes me feel satisfied at how the light and color blend together to create a realistic image.

My name is Jane, I’ve been drawing my whole life and is my favorite thing to do. I created this drawing because I was hungry for chocolate pudding. I thought it would be fun to draw a cat made of pudding. The drawing makes me feel proud of myself because it was one of my favorite drawings I’ve done.

Hi my name is Vivian! This is a Starry Night inspired painting that I made using palette knives. You might not be able to see in the picture, but the texture is spiked. This painting, and the original, make me feel calm. When painting this I felt a sense of awe for how difficult it would've been for Van Gogh to capture the beautiful scene.

I made this piece because I feel it represents the balance between humanity and nature. My inspiration was a photo of a girl and a heron posed like this, though I decided to further detail it and add my own flair and deeper meaning. This drawing makes me feel very happy and at peace.

Hello I am Penelope. This is a graphite pencil drawing of my great great grandma Louis. I used tan paper to replicate the old photograph of her. The part that I struggle with the most was her hair because it was curled up and in the corner of the picture. This photo &the woman in it inspire me because she is a part of history, she grew up as a sher cropper &had to help in the fields picking cotton

I get really sleepy in math class. To keep myself awake, I often doodle. I started to draw snakes because it just felt natural. After school, I look up some snake pictures - and then, I start drawing. Drawing these snakes is a lot harder than it looks! And then - BOOM! - I drew this snake.

I drew an astronaut because astronauts really inspire me. They get to go to space and see things that most people will never get to see, like planets, stars, and the Earth from really far away. I think that is amazing. It must take a lot of bravery and hard work to become an astronaut, and that makes me admire them even more. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like to be an astronaut in the future. It would be really cool to float in zero gravity and travel on a spaceship.

My name is Izzy. I have two pet bunnies. I like to play outside and ride my bike. I drew my picture for my Outschool animal drawing class. I chose a clown fish because i thought it would be interesting to do its patterns. Also, I know they have bright colors and I wanted to see what it looked like with shading instead of colors. I feel happy and accomplished with how my drawing came out!

My name is Matea. I am in 5th grade and live in Minnesota. I am a professional actor and I am bilingual. In addition to acting, I love singing and painting. I think cactuses are a delightful part of nature. We don't have any where I live, so when I get to see them in person, I feel cheerful and terrific.

Good day to you. My name is Adaire Renee and I've alway been fascinated with painting and literature. This painting is inspired by the book, "Bridge of Clay" written by Markus Zusak. Hence the name of the painting. The book is strongly recommended though there is some crude language. I hope you like them both.



I'm Ella-Gayle. I love to read, and I especially enjoy drawing. I have been drawing my whole life. I do digital art as well. My favorite Outschool classes are 'Draw Every Day' with Mr. Dustin and 'Procreate Studio' with Ms. Uli. I call this drawing "Meg", and it was inspired by Disney Princesses. It makes me feel like I am a Disney Character Designer. When I grow up, I want to be a famous artist.

I am Olivia and I can finally draw a human body with porportions. My teacher has been so inspiring and has made me so confident in my art. This piece makes me feel like I am at a Paris fashion show in the front row. It makes me feel so happy, all the way to my soul that I created that. Thank you for this class!

Hi! My name is Sami and I am 16 yrs old. I want to be a fashion designer when I'm older, so I decided to do a fashion inspired piece. From left to right the different era's are: Ancient Greece, Renaissance, Victorian, 1950's and Modern Day. Ancient Greece is an extra special era to me as I love Greek Mythology. My picture shows the ladies holding hands to represent the various era's of fashion history that designers still draw upon today.

As a 15-year-old homeschooler drawn to watercolor, I enjoy transforming ordinary subjects into expressive works of art. This mixed-media rendition of an old streetlight reflects my fascination with light, mood, and the quiet beauty found in everyday scenes.


My name is Roan and I like the Legend of Zelda. I was inspired by a guardian stalker. It makes me feel happy and like my hard work is good. It also makes me feel like I did a really good job.
I crochet the tree leaves with yarn and used clay for the tree and painted it with colors that give a magical feeling. I used hot glue to attach things and make vines around the tree. I used gems and minerals also for the same reason and they come from the earth. Nature inspires me and trees support all life on planet Earth. I am inspired to take care of plants and make sure life is balanced. The art makes me feel happy because of the magical feeling.

I was inspired by survival in the wild. In my painting, a girl and her cat are camping in the wilderness. There are many different trees and plants around them, and many shades of green that make the forest look full of life. In the middle of the picture, there is a warm campfire lighting up the girl. She is fishing by the river with her cat beside her. You can see their reflections in the water. Far away in the wilderness, there is a rainbow that you can faintly see in the sky.

My name is Aarya, and I love drawing animals. I was inspired to create this piece because I enjoy studying how animals look and trying to capture their expressions and personalities. I especially liked working on the eyes and fur to make the drawing come alive. This artwork makes me feel proud and excited, and it inspires me to keep practicing and getting better at art.


I take a lot of insporation from the things I watch and write. This drawing is of one of my characters from a writing group I'm in. The character is a chaotic menace, who is bored all the time.

I love to draw, especially with watercolours. I love nature and how bright and colourful butterflies are! It makes me feel relaxed and happy because of the beautiful sky and landscapes. The butterfly makes me feel inspired because it makes me think about all the awesome nature on earth!
Hi, I’m Zayden! Digital art inspires me because it helps me connect with people in ways words can’t. I used existing video clips to create something new through my own editing and digital art. I like turning moments into feelings people can experience. Creating this helped me see what’s possible when I use my creativity. I made it myself without AI.

Totally Awesome Outdoor Show, is a YouTube channel about bushcraft, survival and living in the woods, and it really inspires me! My name is Matthew and in this drawing I wanted to show camping on the edge of the woodland. I really feel the warmth of the fire and I'm so happy about it.

Hello 👋 I am Finlay and I LOVE drawing dragons! This piece was inspired by my favourite book series 'Wings Of Fire' and it's this dragon's final moments of peace before venturing out to battle at dawn, wondering if it will be his last. It makes me realize how far I have come with my art and dragon drawings.

My piece depicts a spring morning, with blossoming flowers and dancing butterflies. The bees daintily fly from flower to flower, foraging for pollen. I love the season of spring. because it's like a stage for renewal and hope. To start fresh as buds bloom. And nature has always been one of my biggest inspirations. It hurts me to see the earth being damaged. I hope we can come together and save it. "You are never too small to make a difference."- Greta Thunberg.


These Outschool art teachers are experts in their fields and champions of creativity.




Whether your kid is just starting their creative journey or has a project ready to go, you’ll find classes that meet them where they are and bring out their best.
Learners ages 6 to 18 in the United States, United Kingdom, (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland only), Australia and Canada (excluding Quebec) (see showcase rules for regional participation limits and award eligibility details) can enter if their family has an active Outschool Membership or enrollment. New to Outschool? Become a member today!
Not at all! The Visual Arts Showcase is open to every eligible learner, whether they’re new to creating art or already taking classes. They don’t need to be enrolled in an Outschool art class to participate. What matters most is their creativity, effort, and artistic voice.
Log in to your Outschool account and fill out the form above. Upload a high-resolution image or a 1-minute video of your learner’s artwork (vertical 9x16 preferred; max 150MB) and add the artwork’s title plus a note about why your learner chose it. If you have trouble uploading, check our troubleshooting tips or contact Outschool Support for help.
Make sure to enter using the parent email linked to your Outschool account. If a teacher invited you to the Showcase, add their profile link so we can thank them. Submitting for more than one learner? Fill out a new form for each.
Artwork should connect to the theme, ‘Something That Inspires Me,’ and must be original and created by the learner. If your learner uses any material they did not create themselves, it must be clearly changed into something new and original, not just copied or lightly edited. AI tools may not be used to create any part of the artwork. Learn more about our submission guidelines here.
Our team reviews your learner’s artwork to make sure it meets the showcase rules and submission guidelines. This could take up to a week. You’ll get an email once it’s in the Showcase. Keep an eye on this page for updates. Entries will appear here when ‘Showcase Favorite’ voting begins on or around March 13.
Submissions can’t be edited once they’ve been sent, so be sure to review your upload and entry form carefully before submitting. Each learner can have only one entry in the Showcase, and judges will review only one submission per participant.
Outschool’s teacher judges review entries for creativity and originality. Learners submit their work in one of two categories: Physical Art (e.g., drawing or painting) or Digital Art (e.g., animation or digital illustration). One finalist is chosen in each age group for each category. Showcase Favorite voting happens on the Showcase page and is open to those aged 18 or older. Public voting for Showcase Favorite is open only to individuals who are legal residents of jurisdictions where participation is lawful. Notwithstanding the foregoing, residents of Canada are not eligible to participate in the public voting portion of the Contest.
Finalists are featured in the live virtual event, and the Showcase Favorite winner is decided by public vote. Entries from Canada are eligible for judging and award selection in all categories except for public voting for the Showcase Favorite award.
The live virtual Showcase will be hosted by Outschool on April 25. It’s a free celebration of the finalists and their artwork, featuring judges and moments highlighting each artist’s creative process and inspiration. Families can join to view the artwork, hear directly from the artists, and celebrate their creativity together.
Two Grand Prize winners, one in each category, each receive a $500 USD Outschool Gift Card, a $500 USD Amazon Gift Card, a featured placement on a Times Square digital billboard, and a one-year Outschool Membership at the $70 USD monthly tier. Finalists receive a $250 USD Outschool Gift Card, and the Showcase Favorite winner receives a $250 USD Outschool Gift Card and a $250 USD Amazon Gift Card. Finalists are announced on April 20, and Grand Prize winners will be announced live at the Showcase event on April 25. Prizes are sent by email after the contest concludes. All prizes are stated in US dollars (USD) or the equivalent amount in local currency, depending on the jurisdiction of residence.